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WOBURN MA FIRM PROVIDES SOLUTIONS FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY OF AUTOMATED MAIL PROCESSING EQUIPMENT WOBURN, MA; January 2003 - Since September 11 2001, the United States Postal Service and other mail organizations worldwide have been forced to deal with the constant threat of bio-terrorism. Postal facilities in the United States have had instances where letters containing Anthrax have been discovered. Even as the frequency of these cases has diminished, the risk to postal workers, mail recipients and postal facilities still exists. This has led Congress to appropriate hundreds of millions of dollars to address issues related to the security of the mail. A Woburn MA based firm, Dust Technology LLC, has become heavily involved in the nationwide effort to make the mail safer. Dust Technology has developed a piece of equipment called the Dust Technology Airborne Particle Removal System, or DT-APRS. The DT-APRS takes advantage of the existing Dust Technology product lines and technology then provides an enhanced product that can filter, contain, and decontaminate dust and other particles generated during automated mail processing. According to Bryan Murphy of Dust Technology, the system provides three distinct types of particle separation and filtration. First a cyclone separator will remove 98% of all waste collected then a series of cloth filters removes particles as small as one-half micron. The DT-APRS next utilizes HEPA filtration, which is effective down to 0.30-micron particles. The DT-APRS system is suitable as an add-on to virtually every type of automated mail processing equipment. "We have presented the DT-APRS and its merits to the USPS main offices in Merryfield VA as well as most major postal equipment manufacturers such as Siemens/Dematic, General Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman. We have also talked with in-line detector manufacturers so that our system will work to contain a bio-hazard as soon as it is discovered" Murphy reported. The unique combination of features in the DT-APRS prompted Dust Technology to file for a patent both nationally and internationally. The system will remove dust and other particles from the mail process while returning filtered air within the facility. This system can actually pay for itself with the heat loss savings alone and is also an effective maintenance aid. A technician can use various vacuum attachments connected to the DT-APRS to perform the daily cleaning and maintenance tasks on the machine while also cleaning the floors and surrounding work area. All of the waste collected will be contained by the DT-APRS. If a biohazard is detected or suspected then an internal pump system in the DT-APRS will engage and spray a sterilizing agent. This agent will work to decontaminate the inside of the machine itself as well as the waste that is collected. By the time an Emergency Response Team arrives the particles collected will be neutralized and ready for safe removal by trained personnel. In addition to the mail security advantages the DT-APRS will also improve the operation of the automated postal equipment. By removing dust from the optical scanning equipment the throughput will increase and the downtime will decrease dramatically. Bryan stated "this should make the return on initial investment for the Postal Service very appealing". Dust Technology designs and produces dust collection systems and equipment for various industries, including the woodworking, plastics, fiberglass processing, NASA, clean room and pharmaceutical sectors. They have a variety of equipment located in a wide range of facilities across the U.S.A. The Dust Technology manufacturing facility is located near Boston Massachusetts.